Pokémon GO fans are waking up on Wednesday morning a little more nervous. Niantic, the developers of the augmented reality game, has decided to sell the game to Scopely. They are the creators of many popular mobile games like Monopoly GO and are said to have bought Pokémon GO and several other games from Niantic for a whopping $3.5 billion. This move comes after reports surfaced that Niantic was considering selling its video game division.

Pokémon GO: Niantic Sells Off Games To Scopely

As part of the deal, games like Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, Campfire, Wayfarer, and the entire Niantic Games Team will be transferred to Scopely. Fans are mostly worried about the track record of the new company. Many of their mobile games have aggressive monetization plans, leading many to fear they may be priced out of playing the game in the near future. The good news is that the development team has been positive about the change.

Ed Wu, the lead of the Pokémon GO team, has stated that this shift in ownership will actually be a “positive step” for the future of the game. Wu, who has been an integral part of the game’s development team since its inception, and even had his then-2-year-old daughter be the first to throw a Poke Ball in the game, claims that Scopely holds a “deep admiration” for both the community and the team, and “fully believes” in their ongoing mission to create the best Pokémon GO experience possible.

Concerns

Following acquisitions of this scale, there are often concerns about layoffs, especially considering Niantic’s history of letting go of several employees and discontinuing multiple projects over the past few years. However, Wu has given assurance that the Pokémon GO team will remain intact. He believes that Scopely’s private status will allow the team to prioritize what’s best for the players and not just their shareholders.

Wu also confirmed that The Pokémon Company would continue to be involved with the game even after the handover to Scopely. However, he did note that the game might undergo some changes, stating, “I won’t say that Pokémon GO will remain the same,” and adding that the game has “always been a work in progress.”

Final Thoughts

Since its launch in 2016, Pokémon GO has been evolving with new features and a growing roster of Pokémon to catch. With this acquisition, fans can expect the same pattern of growth and innovation to continue for years to come. For the time being, it’s business as usual, but the imprints of the Scopely acquisition are sure to surface sooner or later.